


Of Seelie and Sari

by Dellessa, Dogstar



Category: Transformers Animated (2007)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Fae & Fairies, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-29
Updated: 2014-07-29
Packaged: 2018-02-10 21:23:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 9,027
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2040708
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dellessa/pseuds/Dellessa, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dogstar/pseuds/Dogstar





	1. Chapter 1

It wasn’t as if they were even particularly stealthy, and the loud clank when one of them kicked over an empty trash bin in her father’s lab would have alerted her, normally, except that she was busy. Well, busy enough, because it wasn’t as if she could use the big display during the day for her games. 

So the first time Sari noticed that there was a large, menacing looking robot in her father’s lab was when she found herself being snatched out of her chair (which fell over). 

She stared, and then rubbed her eyes wondering if she was dreaming. Sure it was a cracked up thing to dream, but it wouldn't be the first time something odd had stomped it’s way through her nocturnal musings. 

That train of thought was completely derailed, and dropped right off the cliff when the robot grabbed at her. She managed to wiggle away from it’s grasp by some miracle. 

“Vat are you doing, Lugnut? Vee don't’ ‘ave all day?” A voice came from the shadows distracting Sari long enough for the beast to grab her. 

“Let go of me!” It had large, metal hands with sort of blunt claws, and trying to pry them loose accomplished nothing at all as far as she could tell. There was a second monster there, that came forward as the first one scooped her up, both of them studying her like she was some sort of bug or something. 

“She is the one our scanners detected!” The robot that was holding her’s voice was lower, and his accent was… something really odd. “Stop squirming, you!” He glared at her. Sari glared right back.

“Go pick on someone your own size!” 

“Vee don’t have time for vatever this is,” the second one said, “Lord Megatron is vaiting.” 

“Put me down you big stupid whatever-you-are! Let me go!” She tried to push against the fingers holding her tight, but there simply was no give in them. She was stuck, and they were moving out of the room with her, and talking over her like she was not even present. “are you listening to me? I said let me go!” 

“Shssh!” The first one said, almost perfunctorily. “You are a feisty one, a proper femme, but vee haf come to take you home to Cybertron!” It (or she? The voice was a bit feminine, Sari thought) smiled at her, a totally creepy expression on the giant metal face.

“You’ve got the wrong person, I *am* home, you idiots just broke into my dad’s lab!”

“Vat? Nein, this is not your home.” 

Sair huffed, and started squirming again, more out of anger than fear. “Lemme go or I’m gonna scream!” 

“Vat ever little femme. Shockwave, open up the groundbridge. Ve ‘av vat ve came for!” 

Sari did shriek in fear as a glowing portal opened up in front of them. This had to be a dream! No...no it was a nightmare!

\--  
Sari had only ever gotten sick enough to throw up once in her life (and that had more to do with eating half her body weight in deep-fried sweets before riding the roller coaster at the fair 14 times in a row than anything else), but going through the portal held against the giant robot’s shoulder had just about made her queasy enough to do it again, but she’d managed not to. She had SOME pride left. 

By the time she’d gotten her stomach under control enough to look around her again, she had no idea where they were. It wasn’t the hallway outside her dad’s lab, or anywhere else in Detroit. Detroit didn’t have a moon that big, or crystalline trees with wire-like moss, or sickly-glowing clusters of crystals sprouting out of the ground. 

And it definitely didn’t have castles, like the one her robotic kidnappers were striding into now.

“Where are we?” she said, hating the way her voice squeaked with fear. 

“Ve are on Cybertron. Velcome home, bitling. Vat is you name? Vat do you vant us to call you?” the more chatty of the two asked. 

“Ah...Sari. Just call me Sari.” She looked back, her heart sinking as the glowing portal grew smaller, and smaller before altogether disappearing. “This isn’t my home, no matter what you say.” 

“Ve vill leef that for our lord to explain. I am Strika, and zis is my mech Lugnut. Ve vill take you to him now.” 

The castle was mostly empty; Sari caught glimpses of motion out of the corner of her eyes but every time she turned to look, there was no one there- robots or humans or anything else. It was downright creepy. It was dark, with purple walls, and everything seemed kind of rusty and gross. 

“There’s no one here,” she finally asked as they came around another corner into a dark hall, dimly lit with some crystals stuck to the wall at about head height for the robots. She woudln’t have wanted to walk down it on her own. 

“Ve are not many. Zee Autobots haf killed or enslaved many Decepticons.” Strika said. “Our Lord will explain.” 

“Killed you? What? Megatron? Who?” 

“Our King,” the mech that grabbed her, Lugnut, said. They finally turned into a final room that contained a massive throne. The mech that sat upon it was large, and spiky. His red optics glowed like coals in the dim light.

“Lugnut, Strika, what have you brought me?” 

“Ve ‘ave found a changeling, Lord Megatron,” Strika said, bowing low. “A femme,” she added and slowly approached the throne.

“Let me see her then.” 

Lugnut knelt down and placed Sari on the floor in front of the throne before stepping back to stand next to Strika. Sari kind of wished he hadn’t done that; the robot king dude was big. /Really/ big. And staring at her. What did you say to weirdo robot kings whose subjects had kidnapped you. 

“Look, this is all some sort of misunderstanding. Um, your highness, or whatever. I’m Sari Sumdac, I’m not a changeling or whatever that is.” 

The robot bent over, and looked her over carefully, “You are definately one. I have never seen a changeling so small before. You are nearly the size of a microbot.” 

“A what? Wait...no. I’m not a changeling. I’m a human, and I want to go back home. Just make that shiny thing open up again and I will find my own way back home.” 

“I promise, Sari, you are indeed a changeling. We can prove it to you, if you insist, when next we visit the temple of the allspark, but for now, you will go with… hmm.” The robot king - Megatron- sat up again and looked around. “Blitzwing!” 

Another robot stepped forward out of the shadows. This one was tan with… wings? Okay, wait, what? 

“You will be Sari’s guardian for the time being. Keep her safe.” 

“Are you zure Zis iz wise, you’re Majesty? Blitzwing asked.

“Are you questioning my decisions?” Megatron asked in level, but dangerous voice.

“No, No I am not, Lord Megatron,” He turned to Sari and waved her towards him. “We zould go.” 

“Go where?” Sari asked uneasily, moving towards the robot despite herself. “Back to the portal, right, because I am NOT staying here.” 

The robot’s head SPUN, and what had been a creepy but normalish-for-the-robots face was suddenly SUPER creepy. 

She backed away from the robot, “Nuh uh, I’m not going anywhere with you!” 

“Ze Leetle Changeling ‘az no choice,” the robot cackled and picked her up.

OoOoOoOo

Optimus pulled his sword as he squeezed through the breech in the the gate. The rest of his team followed through. There had been rumours of the Unseelie crossing the veil. Of them stealing a changeling from the other side. King Ultra Magnus would not tolerate such things.

//There’s no one in sight, boss!// Bumblebee commed, giving him a thumbs up as he skidded back around a corner, transforming back into his base bipedal form. //All clear all the way to the portal!// 

“Prowl, you and Ratchet check out the portal, see if it’s been opened anytime recently.” Optimus ordered. “Bee, keep scouting ahead, we’re going to make sure there’s no one in the dungeon. Jazz-” 

“Headed for the kitchens, boss-bot. May as well help ourselves to some fresh supplies while we’re here, right?” 

“Right,” Optimus agreed. “We meet back here in a groon.” 

//Got it boss bot,// Bumblebee commed as he headed off. //You think they really got one?//

//We won’t know until we look,// Optimus commed back, //Anything is possible when it comes to the dark court.//

//We’ll get them out if they’re here, even if we have to break them out to do it!// Bulkhead chimed in on the channel. He’d stayed outside to guard their escape. 

//Quiet on the comms,// Ratchet grumbled. Optimus hid a smile behind his battlemask at the old medic’s irascible temper, peering around the corner as he ran after Bumblebee. 

The corridors weren’t unfamiliar to Optimus. Like all faebots, he’d grown up in a court, and one court was pretty much like another if you ignored the fact that the dark court preferred things well, dark, and kind of spooky, whereas the light court mostly liked silver and crystal and everything very shiny, sparkly, or otherwise decorative. (Some bots would have said that the dark court preferred ugly to pretty, but Optimus felt that was a bit unfair.) The castle keep was laid out almost like his home keep of Iacon, with Ultra Magnus’s throne room surrounded by a broad, mostly square layout. The rooms for fosterlings- faemech or changeling- were always on the corners, usually up in the towers. 

He made his way down the deserted hall to the nearest tower. Sometimes it paid to be methodical. He hoped this would be one of those cases. He checked the first room he came too, opening the door slowly. It was empty, and so was the next five. He wound his way up to the top of the tower, not sure if his luck was going to hold up. 

The room he came to next was decidedly not empty. 

The door creeked when he opened it, and he winced. Bumblebee shot him a dirty look from further down the hall. //Cover me, this room’s different,// He commed, before turning his attention back to the room. It was dark inside- even the vacant rooms had been dimly lit from the crystal sconces on the wall, but this one had had the lights turned all the way down, which made him cautious. He took a slow step forward, waiting for his optics to adjust and wishing for the more finely calibrated sensors of a scout or medic. “Hello?” He said, pitching his voice low enough not to carry too far but not quite a whisper. “Is anyone in here?” 

A small shape darted past his pede, almost making it out the door before running smack into Bumblebee and tumbling to the ground. Optimus spun, careful not to step on the micro- well. That wasn’t a microbot!

“Let me OUT of here!” The tiny organic- a femme, Optimus thought, now that she wasn’t running- punching Bumblebee in the knee to very little effect as the yellow scout moved to block her path. 

“Get away from me!” she shouted, high pitched, frantic and FAR too loud. 

“Shhhh...we are trying to rescue you,” Bumblebee said, and picked him up. 

“Lemme go! Lemme go! I don’t need rescued! HELP! HELP! I’m being kidnapped!” 

Bumblebee’s optics widened, and he pressed a hand against the femmes mouth in an attempt to quiet her yells. It barely muffled her shouts, especially since it was larger than her face.. 

“We’re with the bright court,” Optimus said. “We don’t keep changelings prisoner, but please be quiet, we’re here to help you.” 

The organic stopped squalling long enough for Bumblebee to cautiously loosen his hold on her, looking at the two bots suspiciously. “What’s the bright court? You mean you /broke in here/ for me?” 

“Not just for you, but now that we know you’re here, we’ll get you out.” Optimus said. “No one should be held captive by the dark court.” 

She tried to wiggle away, “They aren’t that bad. I don’t mind staying. I kinda like Blitzwing. He’s funny. We had a tea party together. Although he called it energon.” 

Optimus stared at the femme, surely she was delirious. No one in their right processor would want to stay with the dark court. “Perhaps we should get you to a medic, little one.”

“I’m not sick, and I’m not little!”

“You are very little,” He replied. “Bee here is considered a minibot, small for one of my people, and there are fewer minibots in the dark court than in our own.” He pointed at the yellow mech who still held onto her. “But regardless, that can wait until we’re out of here. Unless you truly do want to stay. We won’t force you to do anything.” 

“Not like them!” Bumblebee had to get his say in. “The Decepticon court, c’mon, doesn’t that just sound outright creepy? They say Megatron eats mech’s sparks for a snack!” 

“That sounds ridiculous,” The femme wrinkled her nose. It was adorable. “Who are you guys, anyway? Bumblebee? What kind of name is THAT?” 

“Names have power, more for us than organics. Bumblebee is a scout; my name is Optimus.” The red and blue mech gestured to Bumblebee to set the organic down. “What’s your name, little femme?” 

She huffed, “It’s Sari. Now can you put me down already?” 

Bumblebee looked to Optimus, who shrugged. “Sure, whatever,” Bumblebee said and sat her on the ground. 

“Exactly what do you think the Decepticons are going to do to me? And why should I come with you?” The femme stared up at them with an astonishing lack of fear. “King Megatron said “I’m valuable to them.” 

“They will use you, and discard you!” Optimus exclaimed. 

“Why would they do that? They need more people.”

“B-because they are the dark court!” Bumblebee exclaimed. “They are evil!” 

“I dont’ think so. They’ve been pretty nice to me.” 

“Haven’t you wondered why there aren’t any other changelings here? Or other sparklings, at least?” Optimus said. “Neither are very common, but still, there are usually at least a few at most courts. King Megatron’s been at war with the bright court of Cybertron forever- since before I was sparked myself.” 

Sari regarded them both suspiciously. “I don’t see how that makes them evil.” 

“Besides kidnapping you from your home? We’d let you go back, if you want- they never will.” Optimus frowned at the organic. This was taking entirely too long.

Sari squinted at him, “Not sure I believe you. I mean...it takes two to make war, I think. And you are the ones breaking into their home. Seems a bit fishy to me.” 

Optimus stared. What was wrong with this femme? “I don’t know what fish are, but I’m sure you are wrong. Please just come with us and stop arguing.” 

She crossed her arms over her chest, “I don’t think I will.” 

Bumblebee hissed. //Boss, we’ve got company, there’s someone coming down the hall.// 

Optimus glanced over his shoulder, trying to decide if they should run for it or hide in the organic’s room. //Come on, in there.// He commed back. //Jazz, Ratchet, Bulkhead, stand by for a quick exit.// Bee was already moving as Optimus radioed out, and the two of them stepped carefully around Sari into the dark room. 

“What are- wait, that’s my room!” Sari said, following them in and planting her hands on her hips. “Did anyone say you could hide in here? I didn’t!” 

“Shhh!” Bumblebee glared at her. “They’ll offline us if they catch us!” 

“BLITZWING! HELP ME! THERE A ROBOTS IN HERE! HE---” Sari yelled before Bumblebee clamped a hand over her mouth. 

“Are you fragging kidding me? What part of “they’ll offline us!” did you not get?” Bumblebee snapped. 

“Zari? What is going on in zere?” The triple changer asked, throwing the door open.

“Intruders! They said they’re from the light court or something!” Sari said, skittering away from Optimus’s feet. 

“Autobots! You will not zteal our changeling!” The big tan flyer charged at Optimus, eyes glowing ominously red. 

Optimus drew his sword only just in time to block the other mech’s attack. “Bee! Go!” 

Bumblebee grabbed at Sari, but the little femme ducked away. 

“HELP! HELP! HEEEEELLP!” She screamed at the top of her lungs until she heard the stomping footsteps that she knew where the other Decepticons.

“What the....what are you doing?” Bumblebee screeched, and lunched for her again. 

“I’m not gonna let you kidnap me!” 

“You’ve already been botnapped! We’re trying to help you!” Bumblebee shouted as a bird-shaped mech swooped down on him. 

“Surrender, Autobots!” Blitzwing fired a blast from his cannon towards Optimus, who dodged it, leaving a scorch mark across his plating from the heat. Sari scrambled to avoid being stepped on; Optimus went to one knee and swept forward to scoop her out of the way of Blitzwing’s charge. 

“Stop it!” Sair screamed, and miraculously they all froze. 

“Sari?!? Vat is going on here?” Strika asked from the doorway, and hissed when she spotted the Autobots. “Vat are they doing here?”

“They just showed up and came in!” Sari said. “It’s not like I invited them or anything, and they were trying to get me to go with them.” 

“Deceptitrash!” Bumblebee shouted. “You should be ashamed of yourselves, taking advantage of a nice femme like her!” 

“Vat are you going on about, sparkling,” Strika said, looking Bumblebee up and down. “Vhy vould they send someone out as young as you. Vhat vere they thinking?” 

Bumblebee sputtered, “I’m not a sparkling.” 

Strika snorted, “Lugnut, tie them up. Ve will take him to Lord Megatron.” 

“Don’t hurt them,” Sari pleaded. “I think they meant well.” 

“Zari, they haf broken into our castle!” Blitzwing says indignantly. “Zis will not do!” 

“Please, you don’t need to hurt them, though! Just lock them up or something!” Sari stomped her foot. “It was me they were trying to steal, shouldn’t I get to decide?” 

“Nein,” Strika said, “Our lord should decide this. Ve vill bring them to Megatron.” 

“I guess that is fair,” Sari said. “Lets go then. Come on.” She stopped, “What if there is more of them. I doubt they were alone.” 

Optimus glared at her. Which was answer enough. Lugnut grabbed him, fastening a pair of energy cuffs on his arms. Blitzwing simply picked up the smaller yellow bot, grinning creepily when the mech struggled. 

“If zere are more of zem, you should stay here, where it is safe.” Strika said. “I vill haf Waspinator guard your door.”

“But I want to-” Sari protested. 

Strika glared. “You vill do as you are told!” 

“You aren’t the boss of me. I want to go with you. You shouldn't hurt them. They were just trying to help me. They thought I needed help, but I don’t, and you shouldn't’ act like that. It just makes it look like they were right.” 

Strika vented loudly, “Ve just vant to keep you safe, sparkling. I vill not take your arguing.” 

Sari grumbled as she was pushed into the room and the door was locked from the outside.

OoOoOoOo

Every time Sari peaked out through the little peephole in her door (which required dragging over one of the funny tables next to the weird metal bed), there was a green mech standing outside. After a while though, he seemed to be paying a lot less attention, leaning against the wall, and eventually, playing with a handheld game console.

“How long are they gonna make me stay in here anyway?” She asked through the door. 

“Nobody told /me/ anything, so quit whining.” The green mech said. “They’ll let you out when they want to.” He scowled up at the little window and then went back to his game. 

Sari sat down on the furniture she’d piled up to reach the peephole and had a good sulk. And plotted. 

She had to get out of here! She also had to find out just what they were doing to Optimus and Bumblebee. While she didn’t want to go with them, she didn’t want them to be hurt either! She huffed, as if huffing and grumbling about would make her come up with a plan sooner. It in fact did not. 

Maybe she /should/ have gone with the Autobots. 

Maybe they were telling the truth? 

If they were telling the truth, it was her fault they got caught, right? 

“So I should probably get them out, too.” Sari muttered to herself. Honestly, the entire situation was ridiculous. She stood up on the table and peaked out through the peephole again. Waspinator was still there, but as she turned around to sit down again, she noticed a grate above the berth. (What kind of castle had air conditioning, again? Ridiculous!) Still, if she piled the furniture on top of the berth, she could probably reach it, and then she’d be able to escape, or something. It worked on television, anyway. 

She got up to the vent, and wrestled with it for a moment before finally getting it off. It fell from her fingers, crashing to the floor. 

“What’s going on in there,” the minibot shouted from the otherside of the door, and she hurriedly pulled herself up into the shaft. It was dark. Very dark. It made her hesitate for a moment, but she heard the door open and hurried on her way.

OoOoOoOo

Optimus had never been held prisoner before- he’d led raids into the lands held by the Decepticons for energon, but nothing like this. And all the instruction from Kup and his other teachers didn’t really prepare him for being handcuffed and chained to a wall in the dungeon of Megatron’s castle.

His arm joints were starting to hurt. His peds did not even touch the ground so he could do little to relieve the pressure that bearing all of his weight put on them.

Bumblebee seemed to be in worse shape. He had carried on, cursing and yelling for nearly a jorr before tiring himself out. Optimus could not help but worry for him, and the rest of his team. His feet were also further off the floor- the Decepticon dungeon seemed to be built for bigger bots. 

The door opened, the hinges making a terrible rusty creaking sound. The huge, hulking mech that entered could only be one mech, even as Optimus had never met him before. 

Megatron, King of the Decepticons and ruler of the Dark Court of Cybertron was a scary story that mechs told their sparklings. It wasn't until Optimus had grown up that he’d learned the Decepticons were real, and how fragile the peace was between the two courts. Long ago there had been outright war, and now that King Ultra Magnus was growing old, there were rumors that the Decepticons would try again to eradicate their enemies. 

Megatron was huge- much bigger than Optimus, who was considered fairly tall for an Autobot- with broad shoulders and a massive frame clearly built for great strength. His optics were a malevolent ruby and glowed angrily as he glowered down at his captives. It was a moment before he spoke, during which Bumblebee twisted uncomfortably in his shackles and Optimus held onto his self control with both hands, meeting the Decepticon’s gaze firmly. 

Megatron did not say anything at first, merely looked him up and down, “Who are you, and what is the meaning of this invasion.” 

Optimus pressed his lip plates together. He wasn’t going to say a word. He would not betray his fellow Autobots. Not now and not ever. 

“Is is that how it is going to be?” the mech purred. 

“Let us go, you fragger!” Bumblebee couldn’t keep himself quiet any longer as Megatron closed in on Optimus. “We didn’t do anything!” 

//Bumblebee, quiet!// Optimus ordered. //Don’t tell them anything.//

Megatron, oblivious to the exchange, leaned in closer, unsettlingly close to Optimus as he stared directly into his optics. “I will enjoy making you break your silence.” 

Optimus shivered in fear in spite of the brave front he tried to put up. He had no doubt that this monster would offline them both before they could be rescued. He tried his best to steel his resolve. He wouldn't tell them anything. 

“They must be getting desperate to send out someone so young and inexperienced,” Megatron continued. 

Optimus kept his expression still, trying not to betray his tension. Megatron leaned closer still, hot air from his vent spilling over Optimus’s armor. 

“Foolish, even. I would not waste my own warriors on such a pointless raid. Clearly, Ultra Magnus has become even more senile than I had believed possible. Perhaps the time is right to overthrow the Bright Court once and for all.” 

“Lord Megatron! Come quick!” There was a clatter of bolts being thrown back and a green mech stumbled into the cell, belatedly bowing to the Decepticon king. “The organic has escaped!” 

“She is not a prisoner, Wasp,” Megatron said patiently. 

“But Strika said---” 

“We both know my general is too enthusiastic at times. Do you know where Sari went?” 

“Into the vents,” Wasp squeaked. Bumblebee snickered. 

“Then why didn’t you follow her?” Megatron growled. “Find her, and return her to her room. NOW!” He turned back to the Autobots. “And you- what do you think is so funny?” He glared at the little yellow mech. 

“Well, nothing except that you guys can’t even keep track of a little tiny organic! I mean, maybe you captured us, but at least /we/ never LOST a changeling in our own castle!” Bumblebee kicked his feet a little, swinging from the chains and grinning at the warlord. 

//Bee!// Optimus hissed. //Don’t make him angry!// The scout ignored him. 

“I mean, I thought you guys were all scary, but if that little femme with no armor could get out, we won’t have any trouble, will we, Optimus?” If Optimus could have facepalmed, he would have. Megatron’s expression, already angry, was steadily ticking over towards ‘enraged’. 

He straightened, growled and stomped off coming back momentarily with a one opticed mech. “The yellow one wants to talk. Make sure he uses his vocalizer for the things we want to know instead of pointless insults.” 

The other mech bowed low, strange decorations on his purple helm almost brushing the ground. “As you wish, Lord Megatron.” 

“Then you may play with him.” Megatron added, almost as an afterthought. 

“Thank you, Lord Megatron!” The mech lacked any sort of face, but his voice was very pleased.

Optimus’ vents stuttered as he watched the mech lift the chains that Bumblebee was shackled with off of the hook on the wall, carrying him out of the cell and off to Primus knew where. Oh, no, this couldn't be happening. A whine left his vocalizer before he could stop it. 

The sound made Megatron turn, and slowly smile at him. 

“I hope you are not particularly attached to your little mech, pretty one. Shockwave does not care if his toys remain in … good condition.” 

“Bumblebee won’t tell you anything, and neither will I!” Optimus retorted. 

Megatron’s smile grew even wider and toothier. “Good.”

OoOoOoOo

Sari had been in the vents for what felt like HOURS. It was lucky that the robots were all so big, because once she got out of the thin one that lead directly to her room, all of them were plenty big enough for her to walk down with lots of room to spare.

She made her way randomly, not having a map of the castle. She peeked out of the vents that she came to, becoming frustrated after a while. She didn’t see Optimus or Bumblebee anywhere. It was worrying. What if Megatron HAD hurt them. It would be all her fault. She’d checked practically every place she’d been, and still hadn’t found any sign of them. If they weren’t in the bathroom (the robots called it a ‘washracks’) or Megatron’s throne room or the kitchen that she’d discovered when exploring earlier, or any of the hallways that lead to and from the various areas. She’d climbed down the narrower tubes to look into some of the rooms in each wing that were like hers, but a lot of them were empty, and the ones that contained mechs weren’t the Autobots. (And boy, she had NOT needed to know that about Strika and Lugnut.) It took a lot of energy to climb down and back up, and she was getting hungry. Maybe she should stop by the kitchen before searching some more. It was on the ground floor of the castle, so she headed down. 

The vents didn’t, of course, have stairs, so going down from floor to floor was a little bit tricky. The main tubes were too wide for her to wedge herself in and climb down slowly, so she had to lower herself over the edge and try and find a foothold in each vertical shaft. Luckily, they had rungs- probably so people could come in and clean them- but they were very far apart for someone Sari’s size. 

She made her way to the final one. It was quite a drop, and somehow she lost her grip and fell onto...something. She looked up in surprise at the robot that had caught her. 

“Oh, Hi!” She said, squinting up at him. “Don’t suppose you know where Optimus and Bumblebee are, do you? Or have a snack. Kinda hungry.” 

The robot set her down, “You are the changeling, aren’t you? And organic!” 

“Uh, yeah, whatever. Who are you? And why are you skulking about the vents?” Sari asked, putting her hands on her hips. “I don’t have time for this. I really don’t.” 

“My name is Prowl, and I’m looking for Bee and Optimus myself.” The mech said. He looked pretty different than the mechs she’d met so far, very lanky but not as tall as most of the Decepticons. “They’re probably in the dungeons.” 

“Dungeons?! You’ve got to be kidding me.” Sari said indignantly. “Seriously, who has dungeons?” 

The mech tilted his head, looking at her calmly through blue sunglasses- well, it looked like sunglasses, but why would a mech need sunglasses? “Megatron does. I believe the kitchen is that way-” he pointed up at an opening in the shaft she’d just slipped down- “but I need to be on my way to rescue my friends now.” 

“Are you kidding me? I’m coming with you. It’s my fault they are down in the---the dungeon.” She squinted at him. “Are you really sure there is a dungeon? Really? That seems kind of silly.” 

“I’m completely sure,” the robot said, and then shrugged, “If you are coming then lets go. Who knows what it happening to them.” 

“You don’t think they would hurt them? Really? I didn’t mean for the to happen.” 

Prowl nodded, “I’m sure. It might be too late already.” 

Sari hurried to keep up with the robot, almost having to run even though he wasn’t moving like he was in a rush. Really, he wasn’t rushing at all, almost sliding from shadow to shadow like some sort of ninja; the vents weren’t very well lit and he had to stoop to fit. Still, he was incredibly graceful. Totally a robot ninja! “So the other guys, they said you were like, the Bright Court or something? Didn’t anyone ever tell you that the whole light/dark duality thing is totally cliche?” 

Prowl glanced down at her as they came to a bend in the vent. 

She shrugged, “Well...they kinda are. And what is up with the shades? Doesn’t it make it hard to see?” 

Prowl stopped and looked down at her, “What?” 

She pointed at her own face, “The shades. The things over your eyes.” 

“You mean my visor? It helps me see in the dark. Night vision, and extra sensors...which I really don’t have time to talk about right now. I need to get my teammates out of here.” 

“Oh, yeah, sorry,” Sari shrugged. “So, the dungeon. Right?” 

“It’s not much further. But I believe you should remain here so that we won’t be heard coming.” Prowl said. 

“Dude, no way! You’re a big metal robot, I can be just as quiet as you can! Quieter, even!” Sari said. “But arguing makes noise, and we’re being quiet, right? Right! I’ll follow you!” 

Prowl stared at her, probably wishing that she would vanish or something, before shaking his head and moving forward again. Now that she was making an effort to be quiet herself, she noticed more about the sounds coming from outside the vent. Prowl *was* pretty quiet for a big metal robot. You could barely even hear his footsteps, most of the noise he made seemed to be sort of a low engine-humming type noise, almost like a computer fan times a hundred or something. After a few more yards, he held out a hand in a ‘stop’ gesture, and knelt down closer to her level. 

“Around this next corner are the vents which open into the various parts of the dungeon.” Prowl said, very quietly. “We need to see where my friends are so that I can break in and release them.” 

“And then what? Are you crazy? There’s no way the big guy would fit up in these vents, anyway? How are you going to get out of here?” Sari said. 

“It depends on what shape my friends are in when I find them.” Prowl answered. “I believe you should wait here while I make a preliminary search.” 

Sari scowled at him, “No way, bud. I’m not staying here. Ain’t gonna happen. In fact, you should let me do the sneaking! I’m WAY quieter than you are.” 

Prowl sighed loudly, “You are a very difficult little femme. I also don’t have time to argue with you.” 

“I know, right? Those robots aren’t gonna save themselves. So shhhh! until I get back!” 

Prowl tilted his head and paused as if he wanted to say something. He ended up merely shaking his head as Sari scampered past him around the corner. 

The narrower tubes that led down into individual rooms branched off in clumps here, indicating the rooms they went to were very small, and close together. Sari listened carefully at each one, and got lucky on her first try. 

She wiggled down the narrow tube, watching Optimus. Megatron was there, but he was talking, and loudly. Sari scrambled back to find Prowl. She still wasn't sure how the ninja was planning to getting Optimus out. The mech was just too big to fit in there. 

“Prowl! Prowl! I found him!” She hissed as she ran back. 

Prowl was not where she’d left him. Crap. DOUBLE crap.


	2. Chapter 2

Prowl was nowhere in sight, and after a moment, Sari gave up looking and hurried back to shimmy down the conduit to the grate over Optimus’s cell. 

It was really high up. She had no idea how she was going to get down, or even how she was going to help Optimus escape. Darn Prowl for disappearing. What was she going to do? She leaned against the grate, and screamed when it came loose sending her tumbling. 

She didn’t fall as far as she was expecting, tumbling once before making a hard and painful impact with a sharp corner, bouncing, and suddenly finding herself on the ground. Megatron had turned halfway around- apparently it’d been him she hit- and stared at her like he’d never seen her before. It took both of them a second to gather their wits.

“What are YOU doing here?” He roared at her. “I ordered you to stay in your room!” 

Sari scrambled to her feet, ignoring the way her knee twinged. “I had to make sure you weren’t hurting him!” She pointed at Optimus. 

“Does he look hurt?” Megatron growled.

Sari looked over at Optimus. Truthfully he didn’t look injured, but he was also a robot, so she wasn’t entirely she how she would tell. “He doesn’t look comfortable.” 

Megatron narrowed those ruby eyes at her, “He shouldn’t be comfortable. He broke into my castle. At the very least he is a spy or a thief.” 

“He didn’t take anything,” Sari inserted. 

“That you know of.” Megatron glared. “Leave. Now. I will have someone escort you back to your room, since you obviously can’t be trusted to go on your own.” 

Sari crossed her arms. “I know he didn’t steal anything because he said they were here to rescue me, and look, here I am! Didn’t need rescuing!” She glanced at Optimus. “I mean, he did kind of break in and stuff, but since they thought you were gonna hurt me, maybe you could just give them a warning and let them go, right?” 

“It does not work like that, femmeling. I cannot do that.” 

“Don’t hurt them. It just proves they are right about you. Please, please, Pleeeeaaase.” 

“Your chronodile tears will not work with me, Sari. I cannot, and will not let them go.” 

“My what? I don’t even know what that is. Do you think I’m faking it? Or lying? Cause I wouldn't do that.” Sari glared. 

“You should go, Sari.” Optimus spoke up for the first time. “You shouldn’t have to see things like this.”

She barely refrained from rolling her eyes. “Seriously? You’re telling the person who busted in here to RESCUE you that she should go away? I’m starting to think the reason the Decepticons are supposedly attacking you is that you’re just so dumb you can’t stay out of their stuff!” Megatron was staring at her, clearly torn between anger at her disobedience and bemusement. “So anyway, I-”

She was saved from having to figure out what she was going to say next by the sound of an explosion from somewhere outside the room.

There was another explosion this one closer, and made Sari squeak in surprise. Megatron scooped her up, holding her close to his chassis as the doors blew off of their hinges. Smoke billowed through the room, stealing Sari’s breath. 

“What is the meaning of this, who is in here?” Megatron yelled. There were several clanks and loud thumps, even as the smoke continued to billow into the room, and suddenly Sari found herself plucked from Megatron’s grasp and being carried at high speed down a corridor in the grasp of a black and white mech she’d never seen before. 

“What the hell?!? Who are you? Where are we going? What’s going on?” Sari yelled. Her eyes, and her lungs burned from the smoke, but soon they were in clean air again and she took great gulps of air as the robot ran. 

“Hey, I’m talkin’ to you! Where are you taking me?” 

“No time to talk, little femme! We’re gonna blow this popsicle stand and find someplace with better company!” The mech said. “I’ll put ya down once we get outside and regroup.” They were moving *fast*, Sari could see now that they were out of the smoke, and she nearly lost the contents of her stomach when they flipped once as the mech jumped over a decepticon soldier who was running to see what the commotion was about. 

“What if I don’t want to go with you? Optimus said it was my choice!” Sari wasn’t about to try and get loose, not moving that fast, and really, it was perfectly reasonable to clutch at the mech’s hand where he was hanging onto her, because she did NOT want to get dropped. They were almost to the gate now. 

“Sorry, femmelet, but you shoulda probably thought of that before you went getting all up under Megatron’s grille.” 

“I wasn’t under his grill, I was...I don’t even know. Optimus said I had a choice,” she yelled, but the robot didn’t slow down. The sailed right through the gate and kept going. Sari closed her eyes. Could things really get any better? Really?

Bumblebee skated up beside them, grinning madly, “Awesome timing, Jazz!” 

‘Thanks, Bee,” The robot grinned at his compatriot as they slowed to a stop. There was no pursuit from the castle, at least, not yet. “O.P. and everybody else take the scenic route?” He stopped and set Sari down. “Think we can spare a minute or two for introductions. Like the mech said, I’m Jazz. Pleased to meetcha.” 

“I’m Sari,” She replied. These robots were weird. So weird.

“Sari, that’s pretty slick. Never met a changeling like you.” 

“Yeah, sure. I’ve never met robots like you. So. Where are you taking me? Home?” 

“If you want, eventually. The king will wanta meet ya. And we need ta make sure O.P. got his aft outta there. No Autobots left behind. You know the drill.” 

“Um. sure,” she said, wiggling in his grasp. “Think you could maybe put me down.” 

“Dont do it! She’ll make a run for it,” Bumblebee said. “She’s as slippery as a cyberrat.” 

“I’m not *any* kind of rat!” Sari protested. 

Jazz shrugged. “Like Prime says, she’s gotta choice, if she wants to go back to the Decepticons, she can start walking that way.” He set her down carefully on the ground. 

Bumblebee- Bee- made some sort of growling rev, but just shook his head. “Think they got out okay? Where’d Ratchet and Bulk get too, anyway?” 

“They hightailed it for the border soon as I got in to extract you mechs,” Jazz said. “I figured it wouldn’t hurt none of us to give them a head start. ‘Sides, you know fighting makes Ratchet cranky.” 

“*Everything* makes Ratchet cranky.” Bee rolled his optics. 

Sari looked back, it would be a very long walk back, alone. It wasn’t something she was sure she wanted to do. Not by herself. This place was all kinds of weird, who knew what was out there. And well, maybe the Decepticons weren’t quite as nice as they wanted her to think, either.

“I’m going with you,” she spoke up suddenly. 

“Let’s go then,” Optimus said, speaking up. He bent down, offering his hand. “Need a ride, Sari?”

OoOoOoOo

The Decepticon castle wasn’t very far from the border into the lands ruled by the Bright Court, and Sari was very glad to have a guide. It didn’t look like any wilderness *she* had ever seen on TV or in a movie, mostly made up of metallic-y rocks, chunks of crystal, and flaky ‘dirt’ that almost seemed more like chunks of metal. There were no real trees, but long spears of crystal in various shapes stuck out of the ground at all angles, some in clusters and some standing singly. Overall, it was kind of bleak, and very, very alien. 

“Is the whole…” She hesitated. “Planet? DImension? Wherever we are- like this?” She asked Prowl as she jogged along, trying hard to keep up with the mechs. She didn’t want to be carried, but they were so much larger that she had to take almost ten steps for every one of Optimus’s. 

“This is the land of the Dark Court. We’ll be coming to the border soon.” He replied. 

“Are there like, animals or anything here?” Sari asked. 

“There are mechanimals, if that is what you mean. Yes. Lots of avians, like lilleths, and other things too like retrorats, turbofoxes, and cybercats. They are all hiding, I’m sure,” Optimus said. 

“Oh, wow,” Sari said, and looked around. “Wow. Really?” she asked, squinting at him. She wasn’t sure if he was telling the truth or simply pulling her leg. 

“Positive,” Optimus said. “They aren’t very lively here. Too close to the dark court. They do like to hunt.” 

|Your court doesn’t, though?” Sari asked. 

“Most of us don’t, and we release anything we catch unless it’s been hurting someone. King Ultra Magnus holds by the Autobot Code of Chivalry.” Optimus replied. 

They walked on, what felt like miles and miles to Sari, before coming to a strange line on the ground. It wasn’t so much a line that anyone had drawn as much as a sudden stopping of the dark, creepy forest of crystal spires that they had been walking through. On the other side, the land was gold and orange, with metallic trees covered in crystal fruit and tiny gems almost like gravel underfoot. 

“That’s the beginning of the lands controlled by the bright court. Once we’ve crossed over, we’ll be safe there.” Prowl said. 

“It looks so different,” Sair said, her eyes wandering across the equally alien landscape. It was eerie. If she squinted it almost looked like home...almost. 

“Different? I suppose it is,” Optimus said, and strode forward. “We should waste no time. The king will need to know what happened. 

“It’s called the BRIGHT court for a reason.” A red and white mech said grumpily. He was waiting for them just over the line, another mech in an olive green tone waiting next to him. “I thought we were supposed to be the slow ones. And is that a changeling? You should have brought her to me so I could examine her right away!” 

“This is Ratchet, our team medic,” Optimus said as the red and white mech came towards them. “And Bulkhead, who is a portal mage.” 

“I’ll be able to open a portal to send you home when you’re ready,” The other mech said, almost shyly.

Sari perked up, "You can send me home?! That would be wonderful. Can I go now? Oh...wait maybe I shouldn't. Maybe I can stay for a while. Do you think I could do that?"

“We need you to talk to our king, at least,” Optimus said. “The Decepticons shouldn’t have been able to open a portal to the mortal plane. It’s the job of the Elite Guard to keep them from breaking through like that.” He stopped to let Sari catch up. 

“Well, you’re not doing a very good job.” Sari said. “They came right into my house!” 

“We’re not, uh, actually part of the guard. Well, my team isn’t. Jazz is. We’re just a repair crew- we were reinforcing the wardstones when we heard about them capturing a changeling.” 

“Oh...well...they aren’t going a very good job then. Really...kinda a crappy job. I bet my dad is all kinds of worried.”

“Dad?” Optimus raised a browplate. 

“Duh, my father.” 

“No idea what that is,” Optimus said. 

“You’re kidding, right? Seriously? Dont’ you have parents? Guardians? People who raise you?” 

“All Cybertronians come from the AllSpark. Well, sentient ones, anyway. Turbofoxes and some of the other wildlife buds from a parent. And gyrohawks hatch from eggs.” Optimus explained. “We are raised by mentors, some of us. I guess that is like your parents?” 

“Kind of, but I don’t think so.” Sari shook her head. “My dad is like, biologically related to me. Or maybe not, since I’m a changeling, but usually parents are. Anyway, that doesn’t matter. A parent is someone who teaches you stuff from the time you’re little and loves you and everything.” 

Optimus nodded, “That is what a mentor is. The king was my mentor, and I disappointed him. So much.” 

Sari frowned, “You seem nice. Why would he be disappointed in you?” 

“I let Elita get captured and killed by the Dark Court. He will never forgive me for that. I let him down. I left an Autobot behind.” 

Sari huffed, “He sounds like a real jerk.” 

“He isn’t a jerk.” Optimus said. “I failed in my mission that day. But we have all returned safely today, thank Primus.” 

“Primus, hah. Thank ‘running our afts off’,” Ratchet snorted. Optimus shook his head a bit reprovingly. “At least we’re back in Iaconia now.” 

Sari made a huffing noise, “If he was a good mentor he would still love you. My father still loves me even when I screw everything up. One time I blew up half of his lab and he was just glad that I was okay. Yeah. He does too sound like a jerk, Optimus. And I think you deserve better than that.” 

“We all think he does,” Ratchet grunted. “Kid’s gotta good spark.” Optimus ducked his head, clearly embarrassed.

OoOoOoOo

Optimus had insisted on picking her up as they came into the town that surrounded King Ultra Magnus’s castle. Unlike the Decepticon castle, the Autobot castle was surrounded by a bustling town full of other mechs- some of whom looked MUCH stranger than any of the decepticons Sari had seen. 

Not that she had seen a lot of Decepticons, but that was beside the point. The king stood on his dias, and on one side stood a mech with the biggest chin she had ever seen. 

“What did you screw up this time?” The big chinned mech snapped before the king could say anything.

“We brought back a changeling,” Optimus said, which only made the big chinned mech flinch away. 

“You brought a changeling here? They are dirty and diseased! Get it away from me.” 

Ratchet rolled his eyes. Loudly. “We all know your views, Sentinel.” 

The mech on the throne held out his hand for silence. “Thank you, Sentinel. That is quite enough. Optimus, bring her forward so I can see her better.” 

“He doesn’t bite,” Optimus said under his breath as he set Sari down and urged her forward. “He’s a very kind mech, and he’ll be glad you are safe.” 

Sari frowned, her eyes narrowing as he passed by the big-chinned monster, “Optimus says you are the king. I’m Sari.” 

“It is good to meet you, Sari. Were you injured by the dark court. Their ways are harsh, I know.” 

“Naw, they were cool. Mostly. Not sure why you don’t like them.” 

The king stared, “They are evil. They took you from your home.” 

“Well, yeah, but Optimus said you guys sometimes foster changelings too.” Sari said. “They were being pretty mean to him and Bee, though. And I’m going to go home soon, right, so that’s okay.” 

Ultra Magnus looked grave. “I am afraid that we need to figure out why the wards allowed them through to your world in the first place before we can send you home and ensure you will be safe there.” 

Sari’s heart sank. Her dad was going to be SO worried. “So...you are going to keep me here against my will?” 

“It isn’t safe for you to leave,” the king said. “The Dark Court would capture you again.” 

Sari squinted at him, “From where I’m looking you look pretty much the same. They wanted to keep me, and you aren’t letting me go home either.” 

“It isn’t the same at all you ungrateful little monster,” the big chinned mech cut in. 

“You can go home- just not yet.” King Ultra Magnus said, firmly. “It would be irresponsible of us to send you home when you would just be captured again. I believe it would be safe enough to send your father a message though, explaining the situation.” 

“So what am I supposed to do while everyone tries to figure out how to fix the stupid ward things?” Sari said. She knew she sounded whiny, but dammit, she wanted to go home.

“For now, I believe you should stay with Optimus and his team. They can show you around Iaconia when they are not on duty.” 

Sari scowled at him. He wasn’t giving her a choice, and it was horrible. “Fine, whatever,” she snapped. “Not like I have a choice in the matter anyway.” 

King Ultra Magnus was not swayed by her fit of temper, “You will go home in time, changeling.” He pointedly ignored her outburst. “Optimus?” 

“Yes, my liege?” Optimus stepped forward, head bowed submissively. He looked kind of anxious. 

“I charge you with the protection of this changeling. You will be her guardian until she is able to return home.” 

“You’ve got to be kidding me!” The yellow and blue mech standing next to the king yelled. “He’s going to get her killed. Let me be her guardian!” 

Optimus ignored the yellow and blue mech, still looking at the king, he bowed lower for a moment, “Thank you my liege. I will protect her with my own life.” 

“Primus blessings to you, Optimus,” Ultra Magnus said. “I have no doubt you will treat this as the serious manner that it is.” 

“Ultra!” The yellow and blue mech whined. 

“Hush, Sentinel. Are you questioning my decision?” 

Sentinel shrunk away, “No, your majesty. I just think that...maybe....” he trailed off as he noticed the look on Ultra Magnus’ faceplates. “I could do a better job.” He said sulkily. Sari rolled her eyes. 

“If that is it then, you are all dismissed.” King Ultra Magnus said. “Bulkhead, you will report your findings about the wards to the other mages.” 

The green robot bowed low, “I will your majesty.” He scurried off faster than Sari thought he would have been able to move. 

She followed Optimus as he left the hall. “Now what?” 

“Now we wait,” Optimus said. 

Sari looked around. “Maybe you can like, show me around town while we wait or something? And get something to eat?” She frowned as her stomach growled. She was really glad that the weird energy drink- energon- that all the mechs subsisted on was something she could drink as well (and wasn’t that weird)- but it sure didn’t last her very long. 

“We- my team- are off shift. I would be happy to show you around though, but I should check in and make sure Bee gets checked out by the medics, just in case.” 

“Oh, sure. I can come with you while you check? Can’t I? I mean while you check on Bee?” 

Optimus nodded, “If you want to, then yes.” He gave her a gentle smile. “You know, Sari, things will work out and we will get you home.”


End file.
